This invention relates to a valve member for a valve assembly. While the valve member lends itself to various applications, it is particularly useful in connection with a valve assembly for a gear pump of the type disclosed in Swedberg U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,901. The gear pump of the Swedberg patent is especially designed to supply fuel to an oil burner.
A pump of the type disclosed in the Swedberg patent includes a diaphragm-operated valve assembly which controls opening and closing of the main regulating valve for controlling the supply of fuel from the pump to the oil burner. Such a valve assembly includes a valve member adapted to open and close a control port. A Belleville spring engages one side of the valve member and urges the latter to an open position with respect to the control port. The other side of the valve member engages a flexible diaphragm which is responsive to the output pressure of the pump. When that pressure exceeds a predetermined magnitude, the diaphragm causes the valve member to close the control port and effect opening of the main regulating valve. When the pump is shut down, the Belleville spring snaps the valve member to a position opening the control port and effecting rapid closure of the regulating valve.
A valve member for a valve assembly of the above type consists of three components, namely, a cup-shaped housing, an elastomeric valve disc telescoped into the housing, and a retainer for holding the valve disc in the housing. The retainer is in the form of a plate having angularly spaced and radially projecting tabs which engage the inside of the housing with a tight fit. Conventionally, the retainer is stamped from sheet metal and the tabs are left with burrs which must be removed in order to prevent puncturing of the flexible diaphragm. Also, the stamping process significantly reduces the thickness of the tabs. As a result, the retention ability of the tabs is reduced.